2Cor 1:13-16 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 13. For we write none other things , etc. There has been much variety in the interpretation of this passage; and much difficulty felt in determining what it means. The sense seems to me to be this: Paul had just declared that he had been actuated by pure intentions and by entire sincerity, and had in all things been influenced by the grace of God. This he had shown everywhere, but more particularly among them at Corinth. That they fully knew. In making this affirmation they had full evidence, from what they had known of him in former times, that such had been his course of life; and he trusted that they would be able to acknowledge the same thing to the end, and that they would never have any occasion to form a different opinion of him. It will be recollected that it is probable that some at Corinth had charged him with insincerity; and some had accused him of fickleness in having promised to come to Corinth and then changing his mind, or had charged him with never having intended to come to them. His object in this verse is to refute such slanders; and he says, therefore, that all that he affirmed in his writings about the sincerity and simplicity of his aims, was such as they knew from their past acquaintance with him to be true; and that they knew that he was a man who would keep his promises. It is an instance of a minister who was able to appeal to the people among whom he had lived and laboured in regard to the general sincerity and uprightness of his character--such an appeal as every minister ought to be able to make to refute all slanders; and such as he will be able to make successfully, if his life, like that of Paul, is such as to warrant it. Such seems to me to be the sense of the passage, Beza, however, renders it, "I write no other things than what ye read, or may understand ;" and so Rosenmuller, Wetstein, Macknight, and some others interpret it; and they explain it as meaning, "I write nothing secretly, nothing ambiguously, but I express myself dearly, openly, plainly, so that I may be read and understood by all." Macknight supposes that they had charged him with using ambiguous language, that he might afterwards interpret it to suit his own purpose. The objection to this is, that Paul never adverts to the obscurity or perspicuity of his own language. It was his conduct that was the main subject on which he was writing; and the connexion seems to demand that we understand him as affirming that they had abundant evidence that what he affirmed of his simplicity of aim and integrity of life was true. Than what ye read . αναγινωσκετε. This word properly means, to know accurately ; to distinguish; and in the New Testament usually to know by reading. Doddridge remarks, that the word is ambiguous, and may signify either to acknowledge, to know, or to read. He regards it as here used in the sense of knowing. It is probably used here in the sense of knowing accurately, or surely; of recognising from their former acquaintance with him. They would see that the sentiments which he now expressed were such as accorded with his character and uniform course of life. Or acknowledge . επιγινωσκετε. The preposition επι in composition here is intensive ; and the word denotes, to know fully; to receive full knowledge of; to know well; or to recognise. It here means that they would fully recognise, or know entirely to their satisfaction, that the sentiments which he here expressed were such as accorded with his general manner of life. From what they knew of him, they could not but admit that he had been influenced by the principles stated. And I trust ye shall acknowledge . I trust that my conduct will be such as to convince you always that I am actuated by such principles. I trust you will never witness any departure from them--the language of a man of settled principle, and of fixed aims and honesty of life. An honest man can always use such language respecting himself. Even to the end . To the end of life; always. "We trust that you will never have occasion to think dishonourably of us; or to reflect on any inconsistency in our behaviour."-- Doddridge . (*) "read" "know"

2 Corinthians 1:13-16

Verse 13. For we write none other things, etc. There has been much variety in the interpretation of this passage; and much difficulty felt in determining what it means. The sense seems to me to be this: Paul had just declared that he had been actuated by pure intentions and by entire sincerity, and had in all things been influenced by the grace of God. This he had shown everywhere, but more particularly among them at Corinth. That they fully knew. In making this affirmation they had full evidence, from what they had known of him in former times, that such had been his course of life; and he trusted that they would be able to acknowledge the same thing to the end, and that they would never have any occasion to form a different opinion of him. It will be recollected that it is probable that some at Corinth had charged him with insincerity; and some had accused him of fickleness in having promised to come to Corinth and then changing his mind, or had charged him with never having intended to come to them. His object in this verse is to refute such slanders; and he says, therefore, that all that he affirmed in his writings about the sincerity and simplicity of his aims, was such as they knew from their past acquaintance with him to be true; and that they knew that he was a man who would keep his promises. It is an instance of a minister who was able to appeal to the people among whom he had lived and laboured in regard to the general sincerity and uprightness of his character--such an appeal as every minister ought to be able to make to refute all slanders; and such as he will be able to make successfully, if his life, like that of Paul, is such as to warrant it. Such seems to me to be the sense of the passage, Beza, however, renders it, "I write no other things than what ye read, or may understand ;" and so Rosenmuller, Wetstein, Macknight, and some others interpret it; and they explain it as meaning, "I write nothing secretly, nothing ambiguously, but I express myself dearly, openly, plainly, so that I may be read and understood by all." Macknight supposes that they had charged him with using ambiguous language, that he might afterwards interpret it to suit his own purpose. The objection to this is, that Paul never adverts to the obscurity or perspicuity of his own language. It was his conduct that was the main subject on which he was writing; and the connexion seems to demand that we understand him as affirming that they had abundant evidence that what he affirmed of his simplicity of aim and integrity of life was true.

Than what ye read. αναγινωσκετε. This word properly means, to know accurately; to distinguish; and in the New Testament usually to know by reading. Doddridge remarks, that the word is ambiguous, and may signify either to acknowledge, to know, or to read. He regards it as here used in the sense of knowing. It is probably used here in the sense of knowing accurately, or surely; of recognising from their former acquaintance with him. They would see that the sentiments which he now expressed were such as accorded with his character and uniform course of life.

Or acknowledge. επιγινωσκετε. The preposition επι in composition here is intensive; and the word denotes, to know fully; to receive full knowledge of; to know well; or to recognise. It here means that they would fully recognise, or know entirely to their satisfaction, that the sentiments which he here expressed were such as accorded with his general manner of life. From what they knew of him, they could not but admit that he had been influenced by the principles stated.

And I trust ye shall acknowledge. I trust that my conduct will be such as to convince you always that I am actuated by such principles. I trust you will never witness any departure from them--the language of a man of settled principle, and of fixed aims and honesty of life. An honest man can always use such language respecting himself.

Even to the end. To the end of life; always. "We trust that you will never have occasion to think dishonourably of us; or to reflect on any inconsistency in our behaviour."--Doddridge.

(*) "read" "know" Verse 14. As also ye have acknowledged us. You have had occasion to admit my singleness of aim, and purity of intention and of life, by your former acquaintance with me; and you have cheerfully done it.

In part. απομερους. Tindal renders this, "as ye have found us partly." The sense seems to be, "as part of you acknowledge;" meaning that a portion of the church was ready to concede to him the praise of consistency and uprightness, though there was a faction, or a part, that denied it.

That we are your rejoicing. That we are your joy, and your boasting. That is, you admit me to be an apostle; you regard me as your teacher and guide; you recognise my authority, and acknowledge the benefits which you have received through me.

Even as ye also are our's. Or, as you will be our rejoicing in the day when the Lord Jesus shall come to gather his people to himself. Then it will be seen that you were saved by our ministry; and then it will be an occasion of abundant and eternal thanksgiving to God that you were converted by our labours. And as you now regard it as a matter of congratulation and thanksgiving that you have such teachers as we are, so shall we regard it as a matter of congratulation and thanksgiving--as our chief joy--that we were the instruments of saving such a people. The expression implies that there was mutual confidence, mutual love, and mutual cause of rejoicing, it is well when ministers and people haw such confidence in each other, and have occasion to regard their connexion as a mutual cause of rejoicing and of καυχημα or boasting.

(a) "that we are your" Php 4:1 (+) "rejoicing" "grace" Verse 15. And in this confidence. In this confidence of my integrity, and that you had this favourable opinion of me, and appreciated the principles of my conduct, I did not doubt that you would receive me kindly, and would give me again the tokens of your affection and regard. In this Paul shows, that however some of them might regard him, yet that he had no doubt that the majority of the church there would receive him kindly.

I was minded. I willed, (εβουλομην;) it was my intention.

To come unto you before. Tindal renders this, "the other time." Paul refers doubtless to the time when he wrote his former epistle, and when it was his serious purpose, as it was his earnest wish, to visit them again, See 1Cor 16:6. In this purpose he had been disappointed, and he now proceeds to state the reasons why he had not Visited them as he had purposed, and to show that it did not arise from any fickleness of mind. His purpose had been at first to pass through Corinth on his way to Macedonia, and to remain some time with them. See 2Cor 1:16. Comp. 1Cor 16:5,6. This purpose he had now changed; and instead of passing through Corinth on his way to Macedonia, he had gone to Macedonia by the way of Troas, (2Cor 2:12;) and the Corinthians having, as it would seem, become acquainted with this fact, had charged him with insincerity in the promise, or fickleness in regard to his plans. Probably it had been said by some of his enemies that he had never intended to visit them.

That ye might have a second benefit. Marg., grace. The word here used (χαριν) is that which is commonly rendered grace, and means probably favour, kindness, good-will, beneficence; and especially favour to the undeserving. Here it is evidently used in the sense of gratification, or pleasure. And the idea is, that they had been formerly gratified and benefited by his residence among them; he had been the means of conferring important favours them, and he was desirous of being again with them, in order, to gratify them by his presence, and that he might, be the means of imparting to them other favours. Paul presumed that his presence with them would be to them a source of pleasure, and that his coming would do them good. It is the language of a man who felt assured that he enjoyed, after all, the confidence of the mass of the church there, and that they would regard his being with them as a favour. He had been with them formerly almost two years. His residence there had been pleasant to them and to him; and had been the occasion of important benefits to them, He did not doubt that it would be so again. Tindal renders this, "that you might have had a double pleasure." It may be remarked here, that several Mss. instead of χαριν, grace, read χαραν, joy.

(++) "minded" "desirous" (&) "before" "formerly" (1) "benefit" "grace" Verse 16. And to pass by you. Through (δι) you; that is, through your city, or province; or to take them, as we say, in his way. His design was to pass through Corinth and Achaia on his journey. This was not the direct way from Ephesus to Macedonia. An inspection of a map (see the map of Asia Minor prefixed to the Notes on the Acts of the Apostles) will show at one view that the direct way was that which he concluded finally to take--that by Troas. Yet he had designed to go out of his way in order to make them a visit; and intended also, perhaps, to make them a longer visit on his return, The former part of the plan he had been induced to abandon.

Into Macedonia. A part of Greece having Thrace on the north, Thessaly south, Epirus west, and the AEgean Sea east. Acts 16:9.

And of you to be brought on my way. By you. 1Cor 16:6.

Toward Judea. His object in going to Judea was to convey the collection for the poor saints which he had been at so much pains to collect throughout the churches of the Gentiles. Rom 15:25, Rom 15:26. Comp. 1Cor 16:3,4.

(*) "brought" "conducted" (a) "my way" Acts 21:5